ASEAN traffic dryrun set for November 25

Expect heavy traffic and rerouting of public utility vehicles and private vehicles in the uptown on November 25 as the city will conduct a whole-day dry run in preparation of ceremonial routes of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit.

According to city information officer Nagiel Bañacia as early as 7 a.m. Veteran's Drive, Salinas Drive, Juan Luna, Sergio Osmeña Avenue, Ouano Avenue, Plaridel Street, U.N. Avenue going to Marcelo Fernan Bridge in Mandaue City, and in the Basak Road toward Shangri-La Hotel in Lapu-Lapu City will be closed.

The ceremonial route from Juan Luna Street up to Marco Polo Plaza is one of venues where delegates of the ASEAN Summit will be passing by and the city government has installed some lights along the ceremonial road leading to Marco Polo Plaza.

Three major hotels in Cebu; Marco Polo Plaza, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and the Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort will host majority of the meetings during the event from December 10 to 14.

Bañacia added that December 12 will see the biggest closure of roads since the wives of the foreign ministers will be participating in the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Retreat.

The road from Banilad to Talamban and the Gov. Cuenco Avenue will be closed as the wives will have a city tour, beginning with the unveiling of the ASEAN Friendship Park at the Family Park in Talamban.

A tour of Cebu City will immediately follow, which will start at the Provincial Capitol. The Fuente Osmeña Rotunda will also be opened to the wives where they will get a chance to experience the Filipinos' culture of going to the park to taste the traditional sorbetes.

The city's oldest street, Colon Street, would also undergo a facelift. Magellan's Cross and the Basilica del Santo Niño will be venues where the wives will get to see the Sinulog Dance by candle vendors.

There will be also a walk down memory lane for the wives as a pre-Hispanic atmosphere will greet them during the first day at the Lapu-Lapu shrine where the historical Kadaugan sa Mactan will be reenacted.

The wives will then be taken to the Malacañang sa Sugbu, which will bear a Hispanic atmosphere and showcase the different products of Cebu especially the island's world-class furniture industry.

The day will be capped with cultural performances and a fireworks display at the former Kawit Island.

The ASEAN is composed of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Its dialogue partners include Japan, China, South Korea, India, New Zealand, Australia, and the European Union. During the summit, the EU will be represented by Finland. East Timor will send a delegate as an observer.

Meanwhile, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said it is "dumb" and "stupid" to implement a gun ban during the ASEAN Summit, saying implementing the ban would not in any way deter negative elements from their possible plans to sabotage the summit.

Osmeña said it is also unlikely for licensed gun owners in the city to terrorize the gathering.

"If you ask me, it's really dumb. You think it's going to help the situation? Nope. Criminals don't follow the law," the mayor said.

Osmeña said that the city never had any problems with licensed firearm owners, which means that they might even be able to help the city during this critical period.

"It just shows that the PNP does not have an understanding that civilians can even be more responsible than them," Osmeña said. - Garry B. Lao and Joeberth M. Ocao/BRP